A Modern Annabelle Lee
by Chaos Poet
Summary: I suck at summaries so I'll just say this. It's dark and sad. If you don't want dark and sad, don't read it. Still this is pretty much a love story, no matter how you look at it.


Authors Notes: Let me start by saying, this is my very first Shaman King story. A friend of mine asked me to write this so, here you are. This is not a bright and happy story. It's dark, it's sad, and it will depress you. Those being said, if you don't want feelings of melancholy washing over you, don't read this story. Reviews are wanted and needed. Flames are expected so let'em fly. Oh, Yoh and Anna are already married in this story and they're like…25 and 26.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King. If I did I would be rich, not poor as hell.

(Words like this are normal prose)

(_Words like this are a flashback_)

"X" spoken word

'X' thought word

Rage. Pure, righteous, and unadulterated fury. These feelings coursed through the veins of the usually mild-natured shaman, Yoh. These were foreign emotions that now made their home in his heart. As unusual as it was for him to feel these, it was even more unaccustomed for him to express them.

It had all started so simple, so unambiguous, that this turn of events would have been deemed laughable; had it not been Anna's bloodied body he was staring at. Her once hardened eye's, vacant and empty. Her alabaster skin now chalk white, save for the large crimson gash on her abdomen. A scarlet trickle coming from her mouth, forever frozen in a silent gasp. Her golden tresses flared about her head, a cruel and mocking halo caked in blood.

The cold winter air blew Yoh's raven locks in a flurry around his head and his tears across his face. "Why Hao," he asked, looking at his twin, hatred etched onto his androgynous features.

"Why," he asked in a mocking tone. "I'll tell you brother. I loved her and she spurned my affections. This is her lesson," he stated coldly, taking sadistic satisfaction at the look on Yoh's face.

All things most come to an end.

Life.

Joy.

Love.

Everything had a beginning and an end. There was no way around that. Being a shaman had taught him of that balance and he hated it now more than ever. How he wished to be able to bring her back and break the great circle, but he couldn't.

Seeing his brother lost in the chasms of his mind, Hao departed, his laughter filling the bitter air.

XXXXX

"Hey Anna. Hao said he wants to meet us over at some park," called out Yoh. His spouse looked up at him, her cold gaze taking away some of the joy at having a chance to see his brother again.

"_What does he want to see us for," she asked frigidly, her left hand twitching slightly. She had never liked his Yoh's brother and was always suspicious of anything involving him. 'Why is Yoh like that. His brother had killed him and he just forgives him like that,' she thought, mentally snapping two fingers._

_Not wanting to receive the infamous, Anna Slap, he tried to placate her. "Beats me. Look I know you don't like him but please. If you promise go, I'll take you to a really nice restaurant first," he pleaded._

_She sighed, not being one to turn down a good meal, and nodded reluctantly. "But if he tries anything, we're leaving," she mumbled. 'Hmm…I guess I'll tell him the news once we get home,' she mused._

_She sat on the couch and pretended to watch the program and the television, until a thought came to her. She quickly walked to the room she shared with Yoh and opened the closet, grabbing some wrapping paper and a bow. _

_When she was done with her task, she laid the package down on her husband's pillow placing a note beside it. 'I think he'll enjoy this,' she thought with a mental titer. "Yoh," she called out. "I'm ready to leave, come on," she shouted when she was at the door waiting for him._

_He arrived in a pair of black jeans and black biker boots. His shirt was white and silk, with a black suit coat over it. He looked dashing, to say the least. "Here he said," breaking her out of her trance. _

_She looked down and saw him handing her, her white trench coat. "The weather people said that it's going to be pretty cold out tonight," he said grinning at her._

_She mumbled a thank you and slipped it on, opening the front door of their home. The two walked down the road and rounded the corner, walking at little ways down the street. "You look really nice tonight Anna," he said to her, making his lover blush slightly._

"_Shut it, you still have to train tomorrow and no amount of sweet talking will get you out of it," she said with a small smile gracing her lips. She chuckled when she saw his head slump and when he let out a sigh._

"_I know…I know," he groused. _

_The married couple walked into the lit up entrance of an elegant restaurant, Anna's eyes widening slightly at its grandeur. They were seated at a table and ordered their meals. Yoh noticed that Anna wasn't drinking any win, slightly puzzled._

"_Hey Anna. You usually like this kind of wine, why aren't you drinking any now," he implored. The one bottle alone cost more than their meal, and he was slightly hurt that she wasn't having any._

_She only smiled and nursed the ice water she had ordered. "You'll see," she said to him, confusing him slightly._

_The rest of their dinner went well. When it was time to meet Hao at the park, Anna felt an ominous vibe coming from the direction of the plaza. "Yoh, we need to leave," she said hurriedly._

_He got confused at her statement and stared at her. "Why," he asked, his confusion growing at the look in her eyes. It was fear, a rarely shown force in her eyes._

"_We need to leave, now," she said, using the same tone she had uses when they were children. Not feeling like arguing, he merely shrugged and walked over to her and grabbed her hand._

"_Ok, I'll give Hao a call when we get back," he said before the started walking away._

"_That is truly discourteous. You leave a man waiting when you promise to meet him. My, my, my. Where have today's children's manners gone," said a figure swathed in darkness. It took only a moment for Yoh to register the voice of his brother._

"_Hao, we were just heading back. I don't think Anna's feeling well so we decided to go home. I was hoping to catch you," he started but was cut off from the look Hao was giving them._

"_Anna, I know that you are married to Yoh," he said. "But I would like you to know this, I still love you. Please come with me and be mine. I have so much more I could offer you, and anything you desired would be yours," he told the brothers wife._

_Anna's eyes narrowed dangerously and she spat on the ground. "That's what I think of your love. Now leave me and my husband alone," she said vehemently. "Come on Yoh, we're leaving," she said before turning her back on Hao._

_That in itself had been her most fatal of errors. She should have remembered to never show your back to an enraged Hao; you would wind up hurt…or dead._

_It all happened fast, to fast really. One moment Yoh was walking with his wife and the next, a sword pierced through her stomach. He could only watch in horror as the woman he loved fall to the ground, her life's fire extinguished before she hit the pavement._

XXXXX

Yoh gazed over at his fallen wife, anguish dominating his once cheerful face. "Come on Anna. It's time to leave," he said numbly. The shaman scooped her up in his arms and carried her to their home.

When he got home, Yoh washed away the blood, cleaned her hair and face, and put a nightgown on her. Once he finished that he walked to their room and lay her down on the bed. He sat down beside her and was about to lie down when he noticed a small parcel lying on his pillow. He wanted to leave it there, but something in the back of his mind adamantly refused to leave it be.

He saw a card lying beside the package and read it. He immediately noticed Anna's small handwriting.

'Yoh, I wanted to tell you this in person but I thought you would appreciate this a bit more. I love you. Yours forever, Anna,' was all the card had said.

"I wonder what it could be," he mumbled, pulling on the wrapping paper.

Inside lay what once would have been a gift that brought only joy, but in its stead came desolation. A small pregnancy test lay nestled in some tissue paper, showing twin pink lines.

If Yoh was not hurt before, he was dead inside now. He had lost his wife; lover, companion and now he found out that he had lost his child as well, all because his brother didn't get what he wanted. It was too much for the man to take and he let out a haunting wail, throwing himself on his wife's body, tears streaming down his face.

After that, all went black. He didn't feel anything anymore. It was as if his very essence was removed; in all truth, he had. When he awoke, he lay in bed for the entire day, holding his departed wife. He didn't move until he felt Ren's hand on his shoulder the following morning.

"Yoh, come on. We've got to go to class now," he said, not noticing the smell of death in the air. When he got no response he looked closer at his friend and his eyes widened.

The once bright and cheerful Yoh was now gone forever. His eyes held the look of the dead. They were unfocused and his arms were tightly wrapped around Anna's waist. It was then that Ren took note of the stench in the room.

After that, everything fell into place for him. The reason why Yoh was holding the blonde woman tighter than usual and why he had that poignant look in his eye. Not wanting to, but needing to too confirm his suspicions, Ren placed a hand on her throat to check for a pulse.

He yelped and pulled his hand back when Yoh snarled and punched him in the stomach. "Don't touch her," he growled, a flicker of anger shinning in his eyes. "She's just sleeping. Don't wake her up," he said, in a voice that sounded entirely aberrant.

"Yoh, I'm sorry…she's…ok I won't wake her," he said, trying to placate his friend. He got up and walked out, pausing briefly to look at the man on the bed

He reached into his pocket to pull out his cell-phone and called his sister. "Jun…Anna is…," he started but couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. "Can you come over to their house? Bye," he said hanging up.

The necromancer soon arrived at the home Yoh and Anna lived in and walked into their bedroom. She shivered when the foul odor hit her and at the sight that lay in front of her. "Yoh," she called out. "May I see Anna," she asked kindly, trying to not upset the distraught man.

He merely nodded and motioned for her to come over. "Careful not to wake her up. You know how she is," he said laughing, his smile not reaching his eyes.

Jun's heart swelled with pity when she looked at him. He had gone mad. She looked at the body of her friend and tried to stifle a sob. She knew just from looking that she wouldn't be able to bring her back. Whoever stabbed her had obviously known about Jun's abilities and didn't want her to come back.

Asakura Anna, the ice queen, was dead.

Jun wasn't able to stay in the room anymore and practically ran out, trying to escape the pain that was making its way through her heart.

Yoh could only stare as she made her exit and then he looked back at his lover and smiled. "What am I going to do with you? You can't scare people like that," he said, brushing a thumb over her cold cheek.

It took every one of his friends to pry him away from Anna's body so that she could have a proper funeral. His cries echoed through the city night, chilling everyone who heard them.

The next day Yoh walked into the living room and grabbed a couple of books from the shelf under the television set. He sat down on the couch and started looking through them all.

The first was an album of his and Anna's wedding. His eyes brimmed with tears when his mind forced him down memory lane.

XXXXXX

He was nervous to say the least. Well nervous was more of an understatement. He was terrified, yet at the same time all he could do was smile. He heard the piano began to play the bridal march and he turned his gaze to the doors of the small church.

_He had no words to describe her beauty. Ravishing was a gross understatement. Stunning didn't even begin to do her justice. All he could do was say, "Wow,"_

_She smiled at words nonetheless. When she was standing next to him, she looked deeply into his eyes and couldn't help but let her icy countenance drop. She beamed at him and brushed away the lone tear in her eye._

_The only words he remembered clearly were, "I do," being said by them both. Her cheeks reddened when he leaned in to kiss her. She still wasn't used to public displays of affection, even if it was her wedding. _

"_I love you," said Anna, smiling up at her husband. One of things she wanted most in life had come true; she had married the man she loved. _

_Yoh smiled and pulled her closer to him. "Love you too," he said simply, not needing an eloquent stream of words to convey his feelings. "Come on. They need us to cut the cake," he said, pulling her over to the table that held an enormous wedding cake, and an overly excited Horo._

XXXXXX

They say that seeing pictures of the dearly departed help you get over the grief. It does the opposite. It makes you remember what you lost, and were never getting back. It does not, and will not, lessen the pain. It will only make it grow.

XXXXXX

It was raining. Torrents of water made their way to the parched earth below. Yoh looked up and felt the cold drops splash over his brow and sighed in content. It had been a long hot day and Anna had made him train in the sweltering heat.

"_God that's nice," he hummed, taking off his shirt and letting the rain cascade over his chest and back. He stood there until he heard a cough come from the porch. Yoh turned to see who it was and saw Anna standing in the doorway._

"_You need anything," he asked. _

"No. Just making sure that you're not slacking off," she told him. She had been doing a lot of that recently, just coming to watch him. 'Does he have any idea how he looks like that,' she ruminated.

His hair was plastered to his face and back. The constant training he had to endure only worked to define the muscles in his arms and chest. His chocolate colored eyes still retained the kindness he had when he fought in the Shaman Tournament.

"Hey Yoh, come here," she said. She wanted to tell him to get dried off and cook, but walking in the rain across a muddy yard didn't help his balance. He slipped and fell on top of her when he got to the porch.

The two stay like that, immobilized by the awkwardness of the moment. Yoh looked down at Anna and smiled at her. Her face was tinted red and her usually cold eyes were wide and filled with emotion. Her hair was fanned behind her head as reached out to cup her face.

Usually she would have stopped him by now with a slap, but something was different about this moment. She wanted to feel this, it was strange and at the same time it felt so right.

Yoh began to lower his face to hers, and captured her lips in that shy tender, first kiss. He was a bit timid and moved his head back quickly. "Sorry Anna," he said warily, not wanting to be on the receiving end of one of her slaps.

"About what," she asked him, sly grin on her face that was betrayed only by her blush. She reached for his face and pulled him down once more.

XXXXXX

A cool breeze blew the leaves in a flurry around the home of Asakura Yoh. It was his seventh birthday and his grandparents said they had something special planned for him. "Wonder what it is," he thought aloud.

_His ruminations were cut short when he heard his grandmother and grandfather walking towards him. "Grandma! Grandpa," he shouted happily, running to meet them. He stopped however when he saw a girl walking behind them. "Who's she," he asked, pointing to her._

"_This is Koyama Anna. She is your fiancée," said Kino. She smiled at the two children and told them to go play and get to know one another._

_They decided to go for a walk in the forest surrounding his house. Yoh whistled a tune while he walked and Anna remained silent, He glanced at her and smiled when she looked back at him._

"_I don't know about you, but do you know what Granny meant by, 'fiancée'," he asked her._

"_She meant that I am going to be your wife when we grow up," she said. She looked at him with an expression that screamed, "How much of a dumb-ass are you," _

_Yoh laughed and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh. Well I guess I wouldn't mind marrying you. You're really pretty," he said making her blush slightly._

XXXXXX

Yoh got up and walked into the kitchen, returning with a small bottle. He sat down and opened the thickest book of all and read a couple pages before taking a swig from the flask.

A couple hours later Ren found Yoh next to a book of poetry. It was a compilation of Edgar Allen Poe's works. The book was open to one poem that caught his eye

"Annabelle Lee," he murmured. He looked up to ask Yoh about it when he saw an empty bottle of poison beside him.

Fin…

Authors Note: I told you it was not a happy go lucky tale. So does he live or does he die? You my dear reader have to make that choice. Now to all of the people that are mad at me for killing Anna. I didn't want to do it. The person who requested this story asked me to and wouldn't take no for an answer. I, personally, love Anna. She's a great character and I enjoy the stories about her and Yoh. For when Anna and Yoh were kids. I can't remember reading anything about them meeting when they were young, so I made it up. To all of you that are reading my other stories don't worry; I'll be posting new chapters soon. I've just had a bit of writers' block when it comes to them. Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^^


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